Xieng Khuang cracks down on illegal logging and corrupt officials

Authorities in Xieng Khuang province are investigating more officials allegedly involved in taking bribes in connection with the illegal timber trade which has caused great damage to the nation.
The provincial Governor, Mr Bounton Chanthaphone, told a news conference, which was held as part of a meeting of cabinet members, provincial governors and the Vientiane Mayor in the capital on Wednesday, that all corrupt officials would face prosecution.
So far, 33 officials have been disciplined, and 80 percent of them were involved in the illegal timber trade. “We are investigating more officials as we won’t allow any corrupt officials to escape prosecution,” he said.

Mr Bounton said the provincial authorities will strongly enforce laws and regulations related to timber and forestry management, particularly the Prime Minister’s Order No 15 in a move to clamp down on  the illegal timber trade.
Last year, authorities in Xieng Khuang  seized more than 30,000 cubic metres of timber in Mokmay district. The problem occurred when villagers who got a timber quota from the government sold their quotas to businessmen, who cut down more trees than the approved quotas.
Many officials reportedly accepted bribes from timber traders in return for allegedly assisting businesspeople to commit illegal logging activities.
In March, 27 officials from various departments and districts were disciplined for abusing their powers and for failing to fulfil their duties and obligations.
Some officials signed documents to approve illegal wood products from sawmills for sale in other provinces. Their action opposed the Prime Minister’s Order No 15 issued on May 13, 2016.
Under this order, the export of all types of unfinished or unprocessed timber was banned, no matter where the logs originated and regardless of whether they came from commercial plantations.
The move was aimed at boosting productivity and ensuring that all wood or logs were processed before being exported, as a way to add value to the timber industry.
The three-day meeting of government cabinet members and the Vientiane Mayor and provincial governors in Vientiane this week reviewed the enforcement of the Prime Minister’s Order No 15 in order to better manage the country’s forests.
Mr Bounton said so far, the illegal logging cases in Mokmay district had not been completely resolved, and 10,000 pieces of seized timber remained in the forestry area as authorities were investigating more officials involved in the crime.
Officials who violate laws and the Prime Minister’s Order No 15 will have to be penalised to create trust among the public in the state administration, he said.
Laos once had one of the highest percentages of forest cover in the world. In 1940, 70 percent of the land was forested, comprising some 17 million hectares.
As the country developed, forests were depleted due to various factors, including illegal logging.
In 1992, the forest cover was about 47 percent of the total land area and this decreased further to about 42 percent in 2002. By 2010, it stood somewhere around the 40 percent mark.

By Somsack Pongkhao
(Latest Update June 29, 2019)